The UK’s leading low-cost and leisure carriers have moved to reassure passengers by ruling out the introduction of fuel surcharges, even as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warns of potential fuel rationing and “extraordinarily high” costs following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.

Jet2, easyJet, TUI and Ryanair have all confirmed they will not impose fuel surcharges on summer 2026 bookings, even as IATA warns that the Middle East conflict could trigger Jet A-1 shortages and very high costs. UK authorities have also relaxed slot-use rules so airlines will not lose airport slots if fuel shortages or airspace restrictions force cancellations.

EasyJet has hedged approximately 70% of its summer needs at an average of $706 per metric tonne, allowing it to guarantee there will be no surcharges on flights or package holidays.

Kenton Jarvis, CEO at easyJet said: “We understand that global events may affect travellers’ confidence at the moment, but we believe that everyone has a right to book their flights and holidays with confidence. That’s why we’re launching our ‘Book with Confidence Promise’. Our customers won’t be charged any more after they book, including no fuel surcharges, and package holiday customers can continue to benefit from Ultimate Flexibility when they book with easyJet Holidays.”

Jet2 has confirmed it has hedged 87% of its summer fuel requirement at an average of $707 per metric tonne, providing a high degree of cost certainty.

Ryanair  CEO Michael O’Leary is guaranteeing “no price increases, no fuel surge levy surcharges, regardless of what happens to summer supply.” 

O’Leary has indicated that Ryanair’s strong hedging position may allow it to exert downward pressure on fares, and has revised his forecast for average fares from growth of 4–5% to broadly flat year-on-year.

In a statement accompanying the March traffic data, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said: “Everybody’s watching what’s happening with jet fuel — both supply and pricing. On the supply side, over the next months, we could see shortages in parts of the world with high dependence on supplies from the Gulf, especially Asia and Europe. And the extraordinarily high cost of jet fuel is increasingly being reflected in ticket prices. While this has not impacted March traffic or forward bookings to date, it remains to be seen at what point high prices could start to shift passenger behaviour. So far, the summer is shaping up to be a typical travel season. That’s positive news, but airline resilience is being tested and stabilising the supply and price of fuel is crucial.”

In a separate earlier statement, Walsh called on regulators to act on contingency planning. “Along with doing everything possible to secure alternative supply lines, it’s important that authorities have well-communicated and well-coordinated plans in place in case rationing becomes necessary, including for slot relief,” he said.

In the low-cost sector, the refusal to surcharge is largely due to aggressive hedging strategies and strict consumer protection laws. Under UK-retained EU Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, carriers must display the full, all-inclusive price from the start of the booking process, making the retrospective addition of fees to confirmed tickets legally fraught.

UK regulators have already moved on to contingency planning. The Department for Transport confirmed that Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), the independent body that manages slot allocation at UK airports, has updated its guidance so that airlines will not lose their slots if fuel shortages prevent them from flying.

Airlines can now apply for an exemption from the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule in these circumstances — a measure intended to prevent “ghost flights” and allow carriers to manage thinning fuel stocks without long-term commercial penalty.